Messaging Moviegoers

According to a new study by the Ipsos Motion Picture Group, moviegoers (those who see 6+ movies in a year) drive “buzz.” While non-moviegoers read posts (83%) at least a few times
a week, reply to comments (62%), comment on someone else's posts/comments (60%); they don't seek out information or drive buzz to the levels of moviegoers.

Influence of Movie Buzz

Buzz

% of Respondents Positively Influenced

Someone
want to see it with you

71%

Someone known recommends it

69

Looking at review aggregate scores

62

Friend sends ad/trailer/commercial

60

Seeing eye catching ad

58

Looking at review aggregate sites

52

Reading positive review from “average person”

48

Hearing from trusted “expert”

47

See ads,
articles, stories everywhere

46

Reading positive review from “critic”

45

Source: Ipsos MPG, October 2012

Moviegoers watch trailers/commercials for movies (43%) and the post about content (37%) several times a week or more. Moviegoers create three types of buzz: Discovery, Commentary,
Planning. Posts are primarily positive and 85% post when they are really excited about something.

20% post about Discovery of upcoming content, 54% read and like
these posts, 19% ignore them

21% post Commentary about upcoming content, 52% read and like these posts, 20% ignore them

25% post Commentary about available content,
52% read and like these posts, 20% ignore them.

Buzz isn't just the amount of conversation or even the amount of positive or negative conversation, it remains what it has always
been: If someone they know and trust recommends it and if those people are going and invite them, they will go.

Though the amount of posts/buzz and there being a lot of positive comments
online are the least influential on movinggoing decisions, the real drivers of moviegoing are:

Having someone to go with (71%)

Having someone recommend a movie (69%)

Non-moviegoers are more likely to depend on having someone to go with, or someone recommend it to them:

“If someone I know wants to see it with me, I’ll
go”

Nonmoviegoers 77%

Moviegoers 63%

“If someone known to
me recommends it, I’ll go”

Nonmoviegoers 72%

Moviegoers 64%

Finally, the study summarizes the respondents’ preferred
methods of communication: